"My sister and I are not very good friends," said Mrs. Verschoyle; "but I don't want to see her married to a man guilty of a crime."
"Guilty of a crime!" cried Ronald, springing to his feet; "you don't mean to say that Vassalla----"
"Is the murderer of Leopold Verschoyle," she said. "Yes, I swear it."
Ronald sat down again, and looked helplessly at Foster, who came to his aid.
"This is a very serious charge you make, madam," said Foster, gravely; "are you sure?"
She sprang to her feet in a fury.
"Sure!" she hissed, viciously; "of course I am sure; you have been looking for the murderer of my husband, and I tell you the man, then you doubt my word--bah!"
Foster was quite unmoved by her violence.
"I always presume a man's innocent till he is proved guilty," he said, quietly; "so that must be my excuse; but are you sure Vassalla committed this crime?"
"I will tell you all about it," said Mrs. Verschoyle, sitting down again; "when I married Mr. Verschoyle, my cousin Matteo was in love with me."